WASHINGTON: The United States welcomes South Korea's decision to renew its military intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan, a State Department spokesperson said Friday.

"This decision sends a positive message that like-minded allies can work through bilateral disputes," the spokesperson said in a statement.
South Korea's decision followed Washington's intense lobbying for Seoul to remain in the pact, known as the General Security of Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA.

The United States had been concerned that South Korea's withdrawal from the pact would benefit China, Russia and North Korea as Washington sees its trilateral cooperation with Tokyo and Seoul as the basis of its security policy in East Asia.

"Given our shared regional and global challenges, decisions to strengthen trilateral cooperation are timely and critical," the statement said.

The statement called on Japan and South Korea to "continue sincere discussions to ensure a lasting solution to historic issues," including the issue of wartime labor.

"The United States strongly believes that defense and security issues should remain separate from other areas" of the Japan-South Korea relationship, the statement said.

JIJI Press